ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani is set to issue an order in the near future to call on the newly-elected lawmakers to hold the first parliamentary session following the approval of October 20 electoral results, announced Barzani’s spokesperson on Sunday. Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) on Sunday approved results of the Kurdistan Region’s legislative elections, Dilshad Shahab, spokesperson said in a statement. He added that President Barzani is set to “soon” issue a presidential decree calling for the first session of the parliament. Waadi Mizuri, a legal advisor to the Kurdistan parliament, told Rudaw on Friday that within ten days after the final results are approved, President Barzani will call for the session. The oldest member of the legislature will lead the first session and newly-elected lawmakers will be sworn in. The October 20 vote resulted in a consolidation of power for the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which won 39 seats, followed by its government ally but political rival the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) with 32 seats. The opposition New Generation Movement took third place with 15 seats. Opposition parties Komal, the Kurdistan Islamic Union, Baray Gal, and Halwest have denounced the election results. They alleged fraud and voter manipulation and questioned the reliability of the voting machines.
